History Main / WalletMoths

* [[http://bukucomics.com/loserz/go/321 This strip]] of ''{{Loserz}}''.

[[/folder]

* Happens in an ''Ivy The Terrible'' comic strip in ''TheBeano'' (with Ivy's dad pulling at his pockets).
** ''The Beano'' used it pretty much any time any character took out a wallet or otherwise searched for money. Unless their [[{{Fiction 500}} gimmick]] was being incredibly rich, of course.

* The opening of ''TheThiefAndTheCobbler'' has the titular thief opening woefully poor Tack's wallet in his sleep, only for a few moths to fly out.

* Used as a plot point in the children's book ''[=McBroom=] Tells the Truth'': Josh [=McBroom=] buys a seemingly worthless farm for [[ExactWords everything in his wallet]], and when it turns out to be valuable land, the swindler who sold the land demands it back, saying that [=McBroom=] still owes him the moths that flew out when he handed over the money.

* In ''TheMask'', the title character has a moth fly out of his pocket to show how poor he is.

[[folder: Puppet Shows ]]

For the most part, this is an AnimatedTrope, though [[ForgottenTrope it isn't often used anymore]] even in cartoons.

* Happens in ''{{SpongeBob SquarePants}}'' (which is creepy, seeing as they are underwater and all...)
** YourMileageMayVary on whether that's creepy. It's more of a gag like when they have fire underwater.

* ''[[{{Anime/Ptitlei015gc004kw4}} Pokémon]]'': Happens to Team Rocket regularly.

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:PuppetShows]]

[[AC:NewspaperComics]]

* [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in a ''{{Lio}}'' strip, where the title character is shown with a package of "Wallet Moths" which he uses to trick his father into thinking he's broke.

[[AC:VideoGames]]

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

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HELL

[[quoteright:313:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/walletmoths2_8329.GIF]]
[[caption-width-right:313:Hey! Where'd my money go?]]

When a character is poor, there's no better way for him to say "I have no money" (due to PerpetualPoverty or a BrokeEpisode) than to have moths emerge from his wallet when he opens it. It's also the perfect way to show that a character with tons of money at his disposal is a complete [[TheScrooge skinflint]]. Alternately, the character can make a great show of pulling the pockets of his pants inside out (an act that might also be accompanied by the appearance of moths). Double points if the character does ''both''.

For the most part, this is an AnimatedTrope, though [[ForgottenTrope it isn't often used anymore]] even in cartoons.
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!!Examples:

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* ''[[{{Anime/Ptitlei015gc004kw4}} Pokémon]]'': Happens to Team Rocket regularly.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* It occurs during the "Rhapsody in Blue" segment of ''[[{{Fantasia}} Fantasia 2000]]'', to the man in the diner.
* In ''TheMask'', the title character has a moth fly out of his pocket to show how poor he is.
* The opening of ''TheThiefAndTheCobbler'' has the titular thief opening woefully poor Tack's wallet in his sleep, only for a few moths to fly out.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* Used as a plot point in the children's book ''[=McBroom=] Tells the Truth'': Josh [=McBroom=] buys a seemingly worthless farm for [[ExactWords everything in his wallet]], and when it turns out to be valuable land, the swindler who sold the land demands it back, saying that [=McBroom=] still owes him the moths that flew out when he handed over the money.

[[AC:PuppetShows]]
* In one episode of ''TheMuppetShow'', when Kermit checks the theatre's cashbox, he comments, "Three moths and a washer... More than we usually have."

[[AC:NewspaperComics]]
* Happens in an ''Ivy The Terrible'' comic strip in ''TheBeano'' (with Ivy's dad pulling at his pockets).
** ''The Beano'' used it pretty much any time any character took out a wallet or otherwise searched for money. Unless their [[{{Fiction 500}} gimmick]] was being incredibly rich, of course.
* In ''CalvinAndHobbes'', it happened once when Calvin's dad was paying Rosalyn's baby-sitting bonus and there was nothing left.
* [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in a ''{{Lio}}'' strip, where the title character is shown with a package of "Wallet Moths" which he uses to trick his father into thinking he's broke.

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* In ''QuestForGlory I VGA'', if you look at your money pouch when it's empty, you may randomly get this message:
-->"A moth flies from your money pouch. That is all."

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]
* [[http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=290 This]] ''VGCats'' comic.
* [[http://bukucomics.com/loserz/go/321 This strip]] of ''{{Loserz}}''.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* Happens in ''{{SpongeBob SquarePants}}'' (which is creepy, seeing as they are underwater and all...)
** YourMileageMayVary on whether that's creepy. It's more of a gag like when they have fire underwater.
* The TexAvery short ''Uncle Tom's Cabana'' (not to be confused with ''Uncle Tom's Bungalow'', one of the Censored Eleven) has this with the protagonist's pocket.
* Occurred once in ''TheSimpsons'' when billionaire C. Montgomery Burns opened up his wallet.
--> '''Mr. Burns:''' "Hmm... does anyone have change for a button?"
* ''RockyAndBullwinkle'' does this in one chapter of "Box Top Robbery", where Bullwinkle happened to have one of them when he opened his wallet containing 27 cents.
* When JohnnyBravo does this in one episode, you can hear the moth say in a tiny voice: "I'm free! Free!"
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* The opening of TheThiefAndTheCobbler has the titular thief opening woefully poor Tack's wallet in his sleep, only for a few moths to fly out.

* Used as a plot point in the children's book ''McBroom Tells The Truth'': Josh [=McBroom=] buys a seemingly-worthless farm for [[ExactWords everything in his wallet]], and when it turns out to be valuable land, the swindler who sold the land demands it back, saying that [=McBroom=] still owes him the moths that flew out when he handed over the money.

[[AC:{{Live Action TV}}]]

[[AC:{{Newspaper Comics}}]]

** ''TheBeano'' used it pretty much any time any character took out a wallet or otherwise searched for money. Unless their [[{{Fiction500}} gimmick]] was being incredibly rich, of course.
* In ''CalvinAndHobbes'', it happens once when Calvin's dad was paying Rosalyn's babysitting bonus and there was nothing left.
* [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in a {{Lio}} strip, where the title character is shown with a package of "Wallet Moths" which he uses to trick his father into thinking he's broke.

->"A moth flies from your money pouch. That is all."

[[AC:WebComics]]

[[AC:{{Western Animation}}]]
* Happens in ''SpongebobSquarepants'' (which is creepy, seeing as they are underwater and all...)

* ''RockyAndBullwinkle'' Box Top Robbery: Bullwinkle happened to have one of them when he opened his wallet containing 27 cents.
* In ''TheThiefAndTheCobbler'' said thief attempts to steal from said cobbler, but the coin purse sadly only contains moths.
* When JohnnyBravo does this you can hear the moth say in a tiny voice: "I'm free! Free!".

* Used as a plot point in the children's book ''[=McBroom=]'s Wonderful One-Acre Farm'': [=McBroom=] buys the worthless farm for [[ExactWords everything in his wallet]], and when it turns out to be valuable land, the swindler demands it back, saying that [=McBroom=] still owes him the moths that flew out when he handed over the money.

* ''{{Anime/Pokemon}}'': Happens to Team Rocket regularly.

* ''{{Pokemon}}'': Happens to Team Rocket regularly.

* [[http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=292 This]] ''VGCats'' comic.

* The opening of [[TheThiefAndTheCobbler]] has the titular thief opening woefully poor Tack's wallet in his sleep, only for a few moths to fly out.

[[caption-width-right:313:some caption text]]

[[quoteright:447:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/walletmoths_8984.gif]]